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Organizational systems consultants, like myself, usually have loads of advice for bosses about how to lead meetings.
Meetings fascinate us consultants because that’s where all the action takes place—they are a microcosm of an organization’s culture. You can learn a lot about an organization by paying attention to how the functional groups and work teams meet. You can learn a lot about a leader’s style and beliefs by watching how she runs a meeting.
Volumes have been written for the boss aspiring to lead more productive...

I experienced a series of events over the weekend that caused me to reflect on the challenges women face in this society and what we can do individually and collectively to change the way women are viewed, treated, and supported in leadership positions.
The first event that sparked my reflection on this topic was viewing a show on Oprah's OWN network entitled MisRepresentation. It is quite a powerful documentary of the societal influences of the media on young girls and women and how they have an impact on women's ability to be seen as...

Could a shared leadership framework enable organizations to deal with complexity, improve decision-making, enable adaptability and nimbleness, and increase performance across the board? Researchers such as Craig L. Pierce and Henry P. Sims Jr. would say yes! What exactly is shared leadership and how could it improve an organization's performance?
Shared leadership is a multi-faceted model of leading. Even though there is not a great deal of research in this area, studies conducted to date have demonstrated that the...

At Saybrook's August 2010 residential conference, I participated in the generative and strategic dialogue seminar facilitated by Dr. Nancy Southern, Dr. Kathia C. Laszlo and Dr. Alexander Laszlo of the organizational systems program. Learning about the difference between discussion and dialogue was particularly transformative and deepened my understanding of the concept of “thinking together”—at work, at home or in the community.
This learning enabled me to better understand why some discussions I engaged in the past were...

Leadership in our modern cultures is not only highly valued but essential for our evolution. As I approach 30 years of professional work, I realize that almost 100 percent of the value I bring to organizations and what I am compensated for involves leadership.
My work in leadership comprises of creating an even playing field for teams and individuals. It is about recruiting and people development. It involves arbitrating and creating spaces for peaceful dialogue. It is about finding the spark within each soul to...